Power transmission



iPatented Jan. 2, 1945 2,366,161 PowEn TRANSMISSION Ralph r.. 'Nel-,dale neu-0u, Mich., signor t n Vickers Incorporated ration oi Michigan Detroit, Mich., a corpo- `Application March 8, 1941, Serial No. 382,288

1 Claim. n (Cl. 285-1) l This invention relates to power transmissions, particularly to those of the type'comprising two or more fluid pressure energy translating devices, one of which may function as a pump'and another as a uid motor. v r

The invention is more particularly concerned with a sealing ring for use in conduit joints used' in such transmissions.

In the patent to Joseph A. Martin, No. 2,204,507,

, there is disclosed a. sealing ring formed oi! semihard neoprene and adapted to be positioned in an annular recess surrounding a conduit-at the juncture between two separable members. Rings of this character have been very successful in eliminating the many small drips and seepages previously encountered at conduit joints in hydraulic power transmission systems. Suchrings have been found to hold a tightseal without the slightest drip or seepage under conditions where previously used constructions would leak badly.

' As a result of this, some ,users of these sealing rings haveoverworked their capabilities and have lattempted to use them under vsuch severe conditions asto materially shorten their useful life. For example, the matter of rigidity and resistance to warpage or other separation of the two main members of the conduit joint requires far less attention with such sealing rings than with prior constructions. They will hold 'their seal even though the crack between the two joint members should open up as much as fifteen or twenty thousandths of an inch under warping stresses. Some users', however, have attemptedto apply the rings in jointswhere, due to improper design of the parts, the crack willopen up toa greater distance and thus' permit thematerial of the sealing ring to begin to' ow throughthe crack n when it is opened under high pressure forces.

For some purposes .it is occasionally desirable to utilize a sealing ring'I of softer material than is usually used and which has a tendency to flow outwardly or extrude through the crack, even y though the designof the joint parts be very heavy so that the 'crack does not open upcvery wide under warping stresses. `With softer or more -tiowablel materials of this nature it is therefore desirable to prevent any possibilityl of such, extrusion into the crack.

Itis an Vobject ofthe present invention to provide an improved sealing ring in which he possibility of flow of the neoprene or simil amaterial through the crack is prevented Aeven though the crack be opened to a distance many timesr that which 'would permit flow 'with the ring f the Martin patent.

with a ring of this character a connning ring of I of Figure 2 showinglthe joint in assembled rela A further 4object is to provide in connection metal to bridge the crack between the two members and to so conform the sealing ring as to insure that fluid pressure will` maintain the conlining ring in contact with both members of the joint more tightly as it builds up.

It is also an object of the invention trusion of the sealing ring into the crack between the two joint halves is absolutely prevented, evenv though the sealing ring be or ilowable material.

Further objects and `advantages of the present invention will `be vapparent from the following description, reference. being had to the accom- ,panying drawing wherein a preferred form of the pr'esent invention isclearly shown,

In the drawing.v Y

Figure 1 is a perspective view partly in. section of a complete sealingring embodying a preferred made `of the-very'soft form oi the present invention.

lFigure 2 isa cross'section of a conduit joint showing the sealing pletely assembled'.

Figure 3 is a view corresponding tothe left half tionship when not subjected to pressure.

Figure 4 is a view corresponding to ther-ight lhalf of Figure 2 showingthe joint inv assembled relationship andvsubiected to pressure.

Referring nowvto the drawing, there isshown in'Figure'Z a portion of a conduit joint which may besimilar to `that illustrated in the Martin patent above mentioned comprising vthe two jointr halves Ill `and I2. The latter has an annular recess I4 surrounding the conduit I8 and a face i I8 along which the two halves abut one another. -z Positioned inthe recess Il is a sealing ring 20 V40f similar shpefto that illustrated in the Martin patent'foresaid -with the exceptlonthat the upper corner is recessed as indicated at 22. The

. ring in its uniiexed condition before assembly'oi i thejoint halves is provided with outwardly naring iiexible lip portions 24 which are"ioined by a very thin back `portion 2S. The ring 20 may l be formed of'neoprene ora similar's'ynthetic or natural rubber-like material and preferably with a dur'ometerohardness in therangeofll to Il,

4although softer material may be equally satisfactorilyused.

An vauxilio. confining ring 2l otmetal is PrO- vided to iit the cut-out portionl. The connning ring 2C may be of any desired cross sectional 'shape so long as it contacts the cylindrical wall to provide 4 I an improved conduit joint wherein now or ex- ,Y

ring before the joint is comof recess I4 and the hat surface I8.. In the form illustrated, a duplicate ring 235 is provided in a similar receiving groove 22 for the purpose of convenience in assembly and to avoid the possibility of assembling the complete ring in the wiong position. The single ring 28 is, however,

all that is really necessary.

Positioned between the lips 24`and contactingthem adjacent their inner edges is an expanding ring 30 of springy sheet metal and provided with a plurality of inwardly facing resilient ilngers 32.

When the sealing rirlg has been assembled inthe conduit Joint, as shown in Figure 2, the two halves I and I2 may be drawn together by suitable bolts or other fastening means, not shown, and the sealing ring will take the form shown in Figure. It will be noted that the lips 24 are tightly maintained in contact at their very inner corners withv the flat surfaces at the bottom of the recess I4 and at the bottom of the member Ii).

' Fluid pressure applied to the sealing ring tends to tighten this contact and absolutely prevent the ow of oil even in the minutest quantities through the crack of the surface I8.

Should the joint halves and` their fastening means be 0f such character that a relatively large crack opens up at the surface I8\when pressure is applied to the conduit, the ring follows this movement', as illustrated in Figure 4. 'I'he fingers 32 insure that the inner edges-of lips 24 are always I4'tightly contacting their respective flat' surfaces on the two members. Since the rubberlike material of the ring 20, when confined under presaecaiei in a true vertical direction but it also imposes less'reslstance to theupward niovement of the upper lip 24. Thus, it follows that the ring 2li must remain in contact with the flat surface I8 and must therefore follow the movements of the member I0 up and down under the application and release of pressure forces. Thus, the comin-r ing ring `28 is maintained in tight contact both with the cylindrical wall of the recess I 4 and with the at surface I8 of the member I0. In this I way the flow of the material of ring 20 cannot loccur because there is no opening through which the-crack to receive the ring, said ring comprising a body of exible material having the resilient characteristics of rubber' and formed with a pair of resilient, generally parallel lips, one consure, acts much as a fluid, the reinforcing ring 28 Y isforced upwardly to follow the movements of the member I0. This actionisl further insured by reason of the fact that the thin backing portion 2lv not only increases the maximum diameter over which uid pressure is applied to the upper lip 24 tasting each member, said lips being joined by a relatively thin backing section at right angles to the lips, and a rigid'reinforcing ring at the juncture of the back and one lip, said backing portion by its low elastic resistance stretching intension and permitting the one lip and reinforcingrlng to move bodily with the member with which they are in contact when the crack opens up by separation of thel members under duid pressure forces.

` RALPH L. TWEEDALE. 

